Chapter 26 Chapter 25 Lu Xun and Mr. Fujino——The Deep Friendship between the Chinese and Japanese People

Since the beginning of the 20th century, a large number of Chinese students studying in Japan have come to various places in Japan, contacted people from all walks of life in Japan, conducted extensive cultural exchanges, and established profound friendship with the Japanese people, especially the Japanese teachers who cared and patiently guided them.A touching example is the teacher-student friendship between the great Chinese writer Lu Xun and his anatomy professor Fujino Genkuro when he was studying at Sendai Medical College in Japan. On December 2, 1931, Lu Xun presented a poem to Masuda Shibuta, a young Japanese scholar who came to Shanghai to ask him for advice:

These short four-line poems express Lu Xun's recollection of his youth studying in Japan, and also express his unforgettable sincere feelings for Japan and the Japanese people.From 1902 to 1909, that is, from the age of 22 to 29, Lu Xun studied and lived in Japan for seven years and four months. It can be said that he spent most of his youth in Japan.From Tokyo to Sendai, he has left his footprints. Lu Xun (1881-1936 AD), formerly known as Zhou Shuren, styled Yucai, was born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang. In 1918, when he published a novel in the "New Youth" magazine, he began to use the pen name Lu Xun.In 1902, he graduated from the Mining Road School attached to Nanjing Jiangnan Lushi School.As a Nanyang official fee student, he was sent to study in Japan by the Jiangnan Supervisory Office. In April 1902, he went to Tokyo to study at Hongbun Academy (later renamed Hongbun Academy), a preparatory school for Chinese students founded by the famous Japanese educator Jigoro Kano, and enrolled in the Jiangnan class of accelerated general courses.Not long after enrolling, he took a photo of him wearing the uniform of Hongwen Academy and sent it to his younger brother Zhou Zuoren.The inscription on the back is very humorous: "The civilians at the foot of Kuaiji Mountain, the wanderers in Sunrise Junior High School. The uniform of Hongwen College, the photography of Suzuki Shinichi, the young man in his twenties, the auspicious day in mid-April, the postbox for more than 5,000 miles, Da Xingchao [shaoshao] Zhongdi’s Yingpan." Although the conditions of Hongwen College were not good at that time, eight students lived in one dormitory, and in summer eight students shared a large Japanese-style mosquito net.But Lu Xun was tenacious and hardworking, with amazing perseverance, and he didn't go to bed until late at night studying every day.Of course, Lu Xun didn't just bury his head in his studies. In addition to his studies, he also actively participated in the patriotic revolutionary activities of students studying in Japan. "Go to guild halls, run to bookstores, go to rallies, and listen to speeches."He also practiced judo at the Kodokan established by the principal Jigoro Kano. In the spring of 1903, Lu Xun ignored the threat of stopping public funds from the supervision of overseas students, and resolutely cut off his own braid in the Jiangnan class of Hongwen College, expressing his break with the corrupt and traitorous Qing government.He also secretly joined the Jiangsu-Zhejiang revolutionary group Guangfuhui, and often discussed with friends how to transform Chinese society and national character, and wrote for the revolutionary publication "Zhejiang Tide" for Zhejiang students studying in Japan.

In April 1904, Lu Xun decided to study medicine after graduating from Hongbun College, and asked to study at Sendai Medical College, which was far away from Tokyo and had no Chinese students.Sendai is a beautiful city in northeastern Japan, with a population of just over 90,000 at that time.There are few records of Lu Xun's study abroad in Sendai in the past.In 1973, Japanese friends in Sendai set up an investigation committee on Lu Xun’s records in Sendai. After more than four years of investigation, they finally compiled the “Lu Xun’s Records in Sendai” data set, which includes more than 170 photos and charts and more than 470 written materials. , reappearing the true style of Lu Xun's study and life in Sendai.The materials reflect that Lu Xun, as the first Chinese student studying abroad in Sendai Medical College, received the kind teaching of many Japanese teachers, the enthusiastic care of the students, and the help and care of the landlord and other Sendai citizens.

The most touching thing is the teacher-student friendship between Mr. Fujino and Lu Xun.Mr. Fujino Yankuro (AD 1874-1945), born in Fukui Prefecture in 1874, graduated from Aichi Medical School in 1896, and later studied anatomy at Tokyo Imperial University Medical College. In 1901, he went to Sendai Medical College to teach, mainly in anatomy courses. In 1904, when Zhou Shuren (Lu Xun) came to Sendai Medical College, Fujino had just been promoted to a professor, and also served as the deputy head (that is, the deputy class teacher) of Zhou Shuren's first grade.Lu Xun once vividly described his impression when he first saw Fujino in an article: "At that time, a black and thin gentleman came in, with a mustache, wearing glasses, and carrying a stack of books, large and small. Putting the book on the podium, he introduced himself to the students in a slow and frustrating tone: "My name is Fujino Yankuro..." A few people behind laughed." Mr. Fujino taught very seriously and responsibly , very strict requirements for students.But he is very concerned about Zhou Shuren, the only Chinese student studying abroad in his class, and "he often gives guidance and convenience to him on the communication with classmates, the arrangement of apartment life, the method of study, the way of saying Japanese, and the way of writing notes."Mr. Fujino once recalled: "Jun Zhou is not too tall, has a round face, and looks very smart, but he looks a little unhealthy. Due to the language, he also has difficulties in learning." He saw that Zhou Shuren was struggling to take notes in class , Check his notes after class, patiently and meticulously revise and supplement what he misheard and remembered wrongly.According to Lu Xun's recollection: On a Saturday one month after the anatomy course started, Mr. Fujino sent his assistant to call him, and asked for his lecture notes.It was returned to him two or three days later.Lu Xun described how he was moved when he flipped through the notes he sent back: "When I took it down and opened it, I was surprised. At the same time, I felt a kind of anxiety and gratitude. It turns out that my handouts have been written in red pen from beginning to end. It has been added and corrected, not only adding a lot of omissions, but also correcting the grammatical mistakes one by one." From then on, Mr. Fujino asked Zhou Shuren to send notes every week for revision, and continued until the end of the course he was in charge of. .After Lu Xun returned to China, he bound Mr. Fujino's corrected notes into three thick volumes and carefully preserved them.It is still in the Lu Xun Museum in Beijing.

Why was Professor Fujino Genkuro so caring and caring for Chinese students when Japanese society generally looked down on Chinese at that time?This is inseparable from his love and respect for Chinese culture.Mr. Fujino later mentioned in the article "Recalling Zhou Shurenjun", "When I was young, I studied Sinology with Mr. Nosaka who graduated from the Fukui Domain School, so there is a kind of respect for Chinese sages, and we should also love the people of that country. Mood." Zhou Shuren's good grades in the exam and Mr. Fujino's care and love for Zhou Shuren aroused the jealousy of some Japanese students who were poisoned by militarism and held prejudices against the Chinese.They even spread rumors that Mr. Fujino had marked his lecture notes in advance for the anatomy test questions, wrote him an anonymous letter, and wanted to check his notes.Regarding this, Lu Xun later wrote indignantly in an article: "China is a weak country, so the Chinese are of course low-energy. If the score is more than 60, it is not their own ability. No wonder they are confused." Even more stimulating was the slide show about the Russo-Japanese War in my second-grade bacteriology class.Among them, there is a picture of a Chinese spy for the Russians, captured by the Japanese army and about to be executed, while a group of Chinese are watching around.Japanese students affected by militarism applauded and cheered long live after seeing it.This shocked Lu Xun greatly. He thought that studying medicine could cure the diseases of the Chinese people, but now he realizes that if the people of a country are not ideologically awakened, no matter how strong their bodies are, they can only be used as material for beheading and public display. Insensitive spectators.So Lu Xun decided to give up studying medicine, and use literature and art as a weapon to inspire the awakening of the Chinese nation and transform the thinking of the people.Therefore, when the second academic year ended in the spring of 1906, Lu Xun resolutely dropped out of Sendai Medical College.

Before Lu Xun left Sendai, Suzuki, Sugura and other classmates held a farewell party for him and took a group photo.Mr. Fujino Yankuro also specially invited him to his home, and gave him a photo with the word "Farewell" written on the back.Lu Xun returned to China in August 1909 after engaging in revolutionary literature activities in Tokyo for three years.He has always cherished Mr. Fujino's photo, and hung this photo on the wall opposite his desk, "Whenever I am tired at night and want to be lazy, I look up and see his dark and thin face in the light, as if I am about to say something. The ups and downs of the words made me suddenly discover my conscience and increase my courage." This photo is now preserved in the Lu Xun Museum in Beijing.Lu Xun also wrote an article in which he spoke highly of Mr. Fujino's noble qualities. In the article, he wrote: "Among those whom I consider my teacher, he is the one who makes me most grateful and encourages me." His eyes and heart are great." (The Complete Works of Lu Xun, Volume Two)

After Lu Xun and Mr. Fujino separated from Sendai, they had neither met nor communicated with each other, but they did not forget each other, and they both missed each other.When Lu Xun wrote letters to Japanese friends in his later years, he inquired about the whereabouts of Mr. Fujino many times, but he never heard from him.And Mr. Fujino did not know about his students until after Lu Xun passed away in 1936.In his article "Reminiscing about Zhou Shurenjun", he said: "I was so moved by a little help from Zhou Jun. He wrote me in the book, called me a mentor, and hung my photo in his room. He still wants to know about me until he dies. If I knew that Lu Xun was Zhou Shuren, a famous writer, how happy he would be if I wrote a letter to him! Now there is no other way, what a pity! I Because I live in the countryside, I don’t know anything about society. I read the news of Lu Xun’s death in the newspaper a few days ago, and I feel deeply saddened... Here, I would like to express my gratitude to the spirit of Zhou Jun who is so grateful for my little care. Deepest condolences and good health to his family." Mr Fujino Genkuro died in August 1945.

In 1960, in order to forever commemorate Lu Xun, a Chinese literary giant who had studied in Sendai, the Japanese people built a monument to Lu Xun in a beautiful place at the foot of Mount Aoba by the Hirose River. In 1964, Japanese friends built a monument to Mr. Fujino on the top of Mount Asu, Fukui City, Mr. Fujino's hometown.The head portrait of the photo given to Lu Xun by Mr. Fujino and the word "Farewell" were enlarged and engraved on the stone tablet. The inscription "Fujino Yan Jiulang Stele" was inscribed by Mrs. Xu Guangping, Lu Xun's wife.These two monuments are not only precious monuments that record the friendship between the people of China and Japan, but also milestones of the friendship between the two peoples from generation to generation.